My NY Adventures!

Hello Lovies! My fashion adventures have taken me to NY (my yearly anniversary with the city) to have a chance to interview with J.Crew! It was a very interesting experience, but I kept waiting to spy Mickey Drexler on his bike, circling the office.  I did however have a chance to see the Crewcuts Kids come and model for the catalog and OMG are they adorable. I also was able to sneak a peak at one of the rooms, covered with shoes they were either working on, inspired by, or found vintage for the upcoming seasons.  And the view...oh my. Yes, I was a nerd and took photos. Because, for no other reason, I just wanted to remind myself I actually went there. :)

The rest of the time in NY, I was of course at my favorites like Dylann's and Canal (where I snatched up fake LV; my friends at Marc Jacobs would be very upset). This time, however, when in Canal Street, I was quite upset that many of the Asian vendors for fake handbags were being put out of business by a group of Nigerian men on the street with luggage-fulls of counterfeit wares.  I was a little disappointed because some of my fun had indeed been ruined; I enjoy the secretive nature of going into hidden walls and blacked out vans. 

And without my friend Meaghan, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to explore much of Brooklyn, where vintage stores, cute delis, and fun people are abound. There is definitely a youthful vibe about the city, and it was a nice change from the seriousness of Manhattan.  And without my friend Meaghan, I wouldn't have found my way around the city, or any of my fun accessories I purchased from H&M. :)

From what I gathered about NY fashions, they are all dressed fabulously head to toe...but they were all shopping at the same stores. Everyone seemed to me to be of the mindset of Urban Outfitters and J.Crew.  It was nice, but also a little boring. Maybe I was hanging out in the wrong areas, but I was looking for the exciting extreme fashions I am oft to imagine in NYC. But, maybe they have just yet to be created ;)

Ok fashion dears, I have to fly, but wish me luck and I will be back soon to discuss more fashionable findings!

xx-Christine

Back to the 90's!

Hello Fashion Darlings! I have been away so long, yes! But here I am again, inspired by the latest spring trends and my own fashionable findings. The best part of the spring season has been the change from dark, warm browns and yellows to the pop neon colors of the early 90's.  Yes, ladies, it's time to revisit your wardrobe and pull out those neon pants and lacy socks you use for your Halloween costumes and start wearing them to work! I have seen so many classy combinations of colors and styles, my favorite being from designer Buffalo David Bitton.  His neon pants come in purple (my favorite) orange and pink, and can all be found at Macy's (unfortunately, I was unable to find a link on his personal website or Macys.com to the pants, but several magazines, including Glamour and Cosmo have listed his styles). The best part about the neon pants? Combining it with a neon top is not a faux pas! Yes, now is your time to step up the chic with head-to-toe color, including makeup. The latest eye wear has been loud-and-proud purples, blues, and yellows to highlight the eyes. My favorite shades are the pigmented ones from MAC Cosmetics and Bobby Brown and Channel. I am all about orange nails right now as well, and my favorite orange-red can be found for less than a dollar from NYC called Tangerine Creme.  Not into the whole bright nails thing, but a sucker for classic red?  I have the perfect solution: Del Sol Color-Changing Nail Polish is your best friend.  I snagged one in Ruby Slipper and it is phenomenal for indoor/outdoor wear.  It goes on clear with glitter, but when you step outside, the color changes with the help of UV rays right before your eyes. 
Photo from Del-Sol.com

The other various trends right now include mixing up laces (shoe laces that is; a pair of your favorite saddle shoes or sneakers can be perked up with a fun color or extra wide bow), mixing sequins and glitter (this trend is a little has-been for me) and of course, a spring-time stand-by, coral and turqouise.  Yet after confirming my worst fear of the fashion season, I can no longer avoid it.  While the 90's pops of color have a rule on the season, it's the outlines I'm worried about. According to Cosmo Magazine the March Issue, "The Key New Shapes" include Long and Flowy, Head to Toe Tailored, Chunky on Top, Jagged Asymmetry, A Bare Midsection, Skinny Knits, and Wide-Leg Jeans. What does this mean? Yes, it's true: the Millennium Fashions have returned. Remember those peasant sleeves? And kerchief hemlines? And bare stomachs? I'm more hopeful of this trend the second time around. The whole future fashion trend has potential.  But if you're more daring, try pairing any of these with a fun colored-hat, or accessorize with a new form of transportation.


In the meantime, the Spring is here! How fabulous! I absolutely adored the Gucci presentation for Spring 11; colorful pants and skirts with bright blazers and gold accents; a combination of Old Hollywood and chic architecture. I've been ready for this look since fall. With that Old Hollywood glam, I have to mention my love of Art Deco again, and my favorite artist of the period, Erte.  His work is inspiring, dramatic, and fanciful.  I was looking for designers who may have pulled ideas from his work, and stumbled upon Ohne Titel's spring 2009 collection. Yes, it may be old, but it does have some of the most architecturally inspired pieces I've come across.  Take a look:
Photos from Style.com

The strong lines, the combination of delicate prints on sheers, the gathering and draping in stark contrast ot the formulated pleats; all come together in this collection.  Compare this with Erte's work:

Similar, no? I have two book recommendations for you, if you are interested, dear reader.  The first is 100 Years of Fashion Illustration, a book containing the styles and techniques of designers and illustrators alike.  It will inspire and inform, an excellent book to have for a collection or coffee table.  The next is Erte at Ninety, a book highlighting the artist's pitfalls and perfections, an interesting overall read of one artist to another.  It's maddening to read how effortless and flawless his ability was.  It is with that I leave you, my favorite fashionable darlings!

xx-Christine

"Simply Be" Mad!!

Dear Reader,

I was just about to relax for the evening and pull the warm blanket of November magazines to my weary eyes for some fashionable reading, when I stumbled upon a catalog I received in the mail today, called "Simply Be."  The cover was enough to remind me vaguely of a old Delia's catalog cover I would receive as a young teen, and so at first, I ignored this tome.  But after I reached for it, and fondled through its colorful and zesty pages, I took note of a few things: 1. The clothes, pages and outlines were not flattering for anyone at all. Combining empire waists with long peasant sleeves, buttons, and paisley prints, topped off with a long, ruffle sweater and a "chunky necklace", this catalog was off to a bad and unimpressive start. 2. The tops and dresses in the catalog were undefined and shapeless, sitting on the women like a sack sits on a potato.  3.  The models were rather curvaceous.  That's when I realized this was a plus-sized magazine. After briefly rationalizing the reasons why I was getting this magazine and performing the womanly act of narcissistic self-assessment and die a mortifying little death inside with guilty understanding followed by belligerent self-denial, I became enraged.  NOT only because I was a plus-sized person, NOT only because I was a woman, BUT BECAUSE I was a fashion designer!  I was furious over these prints, patterns, and lines of the clothing! The printed ruffle dresses that add zero waist definition, day dresses that look as if wardrobe came straight from Rebecca Donaldson's closest on Full House, and prices that were beyond absurd shocked and appalled me.  The biggest insult was to women, who read this trash catalog and assume this is the standard for dressing!  That this sack is what you are supposed to wear, but pair it with skinny jeans to give the illusion you are more slim than you really are.

If that was in fact the case, the sweaters would lose the ruffles, the jeans would lose the back-button flap pockets, and even the jewelry would lose the offensive "chunky" tone. 

After a further look-through, I find that almost every single item in this catalog has something hanging off of it, whether drawstrings, ruffles, gathers, layers, bat-sleeves or attachments.  And those items without attachments?  Well, I'll just let this picture speak for itself:

I am aghast. This company, "Simply Be", being a "plus" sized company, shouldn't be focusing on trying to mask the natural curves and form of the woman body with boxy outlines, heavy layers, and clown-like ruffles.  And I am not prejudice with this particular consumer group: these clothes wouldn't look good on ANY woman, no matter her size.  The curves of the woman should be highlighted, but done in the right ways, using belts and bold colors with neutrals, and balancing the patterns, rather than combining them completely in one dress (see example below).  My dear readers, fashion must not suffer from the uninformed, nor should the plus-sized suffer from this fashion.

I would love to hear any feedback about this issue from you, the reader and consumer, and please share what plus-size retailer you most appreciate.  I have a fondness myself for Chico's, which combines the elements I described above within their wardrobe and styling. 

Stay Fashionable!

xx-Christine